New names added to Leeds Festival line-up

Tony Harber

More names have been added to the line-up for this year’s Leeds Festival, taking place at Bramham Park over the August Bank Holiday.

With a huge bill topped by festival headliners Metallica, Mumford & Sons and The Libertines plus a supporting cast of some of the world’s biggest names in music such as Kendrick Lamar, Alt J and Bring Me The Horizon, the already bursting Leeds Festival line-up is now bolstered by even more names, including Mariachi El Bronx, The Bronx, Shura, Young Thug, No Devotion, Sunset Sons and Twin Peaks.

The Main Stage already provides a number of must-see acts across the weekend and added to that list will be Mariachi El Bronx, who return to the prestigious opening slot to bring festival crowds their signature brand of traditional mariachi and feel good pop for a set that is sure to bring the sunshine.

LA punks The Bronx, meanwhile, will also play The Lock up Stage.

Taking to the NME/BBC Radio 1 Stage on the Saturday are The Struts, who will be making their Leeds and Reading Festival debut and aim to treat the crowd to their potent mix of indie and glam rock as found on last years ‘Everybody Wants’ LP. Having played support to The Rolling Stones last year, they are a rising rock talent.

Since forming in 2009 Chicago, Illinois natives Twin Peaks have continued to build on the buzz surrounding their furious brand of garage punk. Heading for Leeds on the Sunday, theirs promises to be a set not to be missed.

To say that British songwriter and producer Shura appears to have a bright future ahead of her would be a real understatement. With standout headline shows under her belt and armed with tracks like the smooth electro-pop of recent Radio 1 championed single ‘2Shy’, expect huge crowds on the Friday to warm to her when she appears on the NME/BBC Radio 1 Stage.

Dance music enthusiasts can once again rejoice as the BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage once again brings some top acts from across the world together under one roof.

Joining this year’s line-up are Australian hitmaker Hayden James, German deep-house wizard Ferdinand Weber, a special live set from DJ Fresh, Irish favourites Riptide Movement, live electronic duo Maribou State, pop starlet Petite Meller and The Six.

A host of exciting new names have been announced for The Lock Up/Pit stage, including The Bronx and progressive metal legends Baroness. Japanese noise-mongers Bo Ningen will bring their visceral, unique sound to a mid-afternoon slot on the Saturday and earlier in the day the gloriously destructive God Damn will be proving why so much hype has surrounded them in recent months. Vant will also be opening proceedings with Skinny Lister.

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, No Devotion and As It Is join a mammoth line-up on the Sunday.

The Festival Republic Stage remains the area of the festivals with a focus on both emerging and established alternative talent. Having appeared on the BBC Sound of 2015 longlist earlier this year, Sunset Sons‘ fresh brand of beachside indie has built a huge fan base who will no doubt pack out the tent on the middle day at Leeds.

Scottish synth-poppers Neon Waltz play Sunday, having drawn critical acclaim from blogs around the world while Spring King fuse visceral indie with modern pop charm. Seether and The Last Internationale complete the current announcement.

Further proving the place of hip hop and urban music at the festival, more names have also been added to the BBC 1XTRA Stage.

Bringing together 80 pop hooks with a 60s aesthetic, Brighton’s Remi Miles will open the stage on the Sunday while fresh after collaborating with Jamie XX, unlikely rap hero Young Thug will also be making a rare appearance on the Friday.

Sibling production/ DJ duo Star.One also join the line-up, perfectly encapsulating the diverse and groundbreaking nature of both the BBC 1xtra Stage, and Reading and Leeds as a whole.

Tickets for the Leeds Festival are on sale now. Weekend tickets are £205 plus £8 booking fee and postage and day tickets are £59.50 plus £7 booking fee and postage. They are available from www.leedsfestival.com● or http://www.seetickets.com/content/reading-leeds?src=randl2015PR21 or by ringing the credit card line on 0871 2310821.